Masonic Notes And Queries.

doubtedly tinged with a considerable admixture of mysticism . To spread his principles the more widely , he made use of the Masonic lodges , but met with comparatively little success in France , except in the lodges of Lyons and Monfcpelier . The doctrines of St . Martin were imported into Russia hy Count Grabianka , a Pole , and Admiral Pleshcheyeffi a Russian , both of whom were successful in

introducing them into the Masonic lodges in that country , where they soon met with very wide acceptance . The Martinisfcs afc length became a very numerous sect , including in the list of their members some names of rank and influence . The

favourite authors whose writings they chiefly consulted , were , besides Sfc . Martin himself , those of the German Pietistic-school , such as Arndt and Spener . But the object of the sect was not so much to cultivate a speculative as a practical Christianity , by seeking to do good to all within the sphere of their influence , not only performing deeds of charity to the poor , but promoting , as far as

possible , the extension of education and literature . The principal seat of the Martinists was the city of Moscow , where they established a typographic society for the encouragement of learning ; and to accomplish this important object they purchased all the manuscri pts , whether in prose or poetry , which were offered to them , publishing , however , only such as appeared worthy of seeing the liht . Their countenance

g was chiefly given to those writings which had a religious or moral tendency . Many of the works published by this society were translations from foreign languages , but some very valuable original works , literary , scientific , and religious , were issued with their sanction . They established also a large library , chiefly consisting of religious books , to whom all were admitted who were sincereldesirous of

y acquiring information ; a school was founded at their expense ; and deserving young men were assisted in carrying forward their studies , either in the country or at foreign universities . To the seasonable aid thus afforded , Karamsin , the talented Russian historian , was indebted for his education at the "University of Moscow . Many of the Martinisfcs , unable to contribute money iu order to carry oufc the plans

of the society , devoted their time and talents to works of benevolence , and more especially to the alleviation of human suffering . Some of this noble class of men sacrificed large fortunes , and even submitted to great privations , in order to fulfil the designs of this charitable and useful institution . The Martinists became , in process of time , a numerous and

highly respected body of men , and their influence was daily diffusing itself more and more widely among the Russian people . Men of all ranks , in Church and State , hastened to join the lodges of this noble band of Freemasons , which bade fair , had it been permitted to continue its operations , to be eminently instrumental in promoting the cause of Christianity and true civilisation throughout the whole Russian

Empire . But the rapidly increasing fame aud influence of this noble sect , and more especially of their typographic society afc Moscow , which was working wonders by means of the press , awakened suspicion and jealousies in the mind of the Empress Catherine II . She resolved , therefore , to put forth her utmost efforts to crush the sect ; Novikoff , one of its leading and most active memberswas imprisoned

, iu the castle of Schlusselbnrg ; several of the nobles who belonged to ifc were banished to their estates , and several religious books which it had issued were seized and burnt as being subversive of the good order of the country . At the death of Catherine , the Emperor Paul , who succeeded her on the throne of Russia liberated Novikoff , whose tragic story is thus briefly told by Count Krasinski : " He

recovered his liberty , but found a desolate home , his wife was dead , and his three young children were a prey to a terrible and incurable disease . The Emperor Paul , whose mad outbursts of despotism were the results of a mind diseased by a keen sense of wrong , inflicted upon him by his own mother , but whose natural character was noble aud chivalrous , demanded of Novikoff , when ho was presented to him his

on liberation from fche fortress , how he might compensate the injustice thafc had been done to him , and the sufferings to which he had been exposed . ' By rendering liberty to all thoso who were imprisoned at the same time when I was , ' was Novikoff ' s answer . " The labours of the Martinists , as n body , were completel y checked b y the persecution which they had suffered under Catherine , and they contented

Masonic Notes And Queries.

themselves during the reign of Paul with quietly propogating their opinions in their individual capacity . Undev Alexander I ., however , who was somewhat inclined to religious mysticism , the Martinists recovered , for a time , their influence in Russia , and Prince Galifczin , one of their number , was intrusted by the Emperor with the ministry of religious affairs and public education . The imperial councils were

now guided by men of piety and patriotism ; bible societies were openly promoted by the government , and religious books published by sanction of the Emperor . But matters completely changed on fche death of Alexander . His brother Nicholas , who succeeded him , adopted a different line of acting . He suppressed bible societies , discouraged the progress of liberal religious tendenciesand bhis whole

, y course of policy , put an effectual check upon all the operations of the Martinists , and led to the total disajipearance from the face of Russian society of a sect or body of men of whom any civilized country might well be proud . — -Gardner ' s Faiths of the World . " ]

OEDEE OE ST . JOHN Towards the latter part of tho year 1859 , Field-Marshal Count Nugent , an Irishman in the Austrian service , was admitted by the Pope into the Order of St . John , and subsequently raised by the Sovereign Pontiff to the titular dignity of Grand Prior of Ireland . What Order of St . John is this , —is it thafc of Sfc . John of Jerusalem the Hospitallers ?—f * f

THE CAEBUNCLE . What is the carbuncle which old members of the Mark degree so frequently allude to ?—ONYX . LODGE OEATOES . In the ^ French lodges there is an officer called the Orator ; did we ever have such in this country ?—Ex . Ex . * . B . K .

What degree is the Phi beta kappa as worked in America ? —Q . —[ Not a Masonic one ; ifc is , or rather was , a secret society of students , most of whom belonged to various American , colleges . !

JOE SMITH . Was Joe Smith , I mean the reputed Mormon prophet , a Mason ?—FABEE . EOYAL AECH MOUENING . We all know how the furniture of a lodge is covered for mourning , but how should the same be applied in a Royal Arch Chapter _?—P . Z .

Notes On Literature Science And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE SCIENCE AND ART .

The Army and Navy Gazelle states that the cheque received hy Capt . Towke , of the Eoyal Engineers , for his plan of the Great International Exhibition , represented the neat sum of £ 5000 . We are glad to learn that the native school of Russian painting , which commenced about the same period as our own , is to he well

represented in the Great International Exhibition in London next year . The Russian Academy of Arts has decided on commencing the series of paintings exhibited with those of Lossenko , who was contemporary with Hogart hand Gainsborough , but whose fame is so little known in England that his name will be looked for in vain in some of our best biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias .

Mr . W . E . Beverley has painted a new act-drop for thcManchester Theatre Royal , representing the ruins of an ancient city at sunset . The Abbeys and Castles of Great Britain , hy Willian and Mary Howifcfc , is the title of a forthcoming Christinas-hook . A new School of Art has been opened in Hull , in connection with the Department of Science and Art .

Mr . Thomas M'JSicoll , in his Fssays on Fnglish Literature , lately collected from the London Peview , is rather severe on his countryman , Thomas Carlyle . The following remarks refer to tho Philosopher of Chelsea'sEaWer-tZaw Pamphlets : — " All is rottenness